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Jan. 31st, 2011
PART II
Hotch and his team hesitated then followed Colonel Carter into the blue moving wall. The experience was a dizzy mix of colors and lack of sound then they stepped into another cavernous room.
Colonel John Sheppard waited impatiently; he hated being left in charge. He took Sam's bag and endured the introductions as they retired to an upper floor conference room. “This is Major Evan Lorne; he will assure you have everything you need. We have quarters for each of you.
"Sam, we have a problem. I need to go to P-3421. Rodney thinks he can fix their force field before the Wraith reach the planet.”
“Go,” she waved him away.
They reviewed all employee records. “There’s just nothing in any of their pasts to even remotely suggest such a brutal butchering of these women. There is no pattern to his choice except young women taken in their quarters, sexually molested and carved up. No one heard anything, no one saw anyone with blood and he should have been covered in it. No traces of semen.
Rossi shook his head, “I’m stumped. They have the cream of every field here and the top military people. Of course the pressure they are under could cause psychotic break.”
Hotch glanced at the murder board that had nothing but pictures of the victims and their quarters. The autopsy report just confirmed what you could see.
“Have you been up to one of the balconies in the spires? The city does sit in the middle of the ocean. It’s beautiful,” Reid smiled.
“Yes well, I found out more than I want to know. . . About the Wraith who feed on humans looking for Earth and there were the Replicators which looked at us like food and wanted to kill all humans to cut off the Wraith’s food supply. Then there are unfriendly planets they go to that want to take over or destroy Atlantis. I just want to find this guy and go back to Earth and try to forget we are not the only race of humans and nonhumans in the universe.”
A week later another murder occurred. Colonel Sheppard was with them as they examined the victim and the scene.
“Colonel,” Reid began.”
“It’s John.”
“John, I heard that when you go to other planets with Stargates, that you sometimes take in refugees from the Wraith cullings.”
“That’s right. Then we find another planet to relocate them.”
“Was there refugees brought to Atlantis shortly before the murders began?”
“Actually, there was. The Nerau’s were moved.”
“Is it possible to go and speak with them?”
“What are you thinking?” Hotch asked.
“This guy has perfected his method. He’s been somewhere practicing.”
“There are always a few refugees who can contribute to the running of Atlantis and choose to stay. Some have the Ancient gene. Why that colony?”
“Because if he had been killing, he wouldn’t be able to stop. We need to check the town.”
“I’ll make arrangements for my team to take you in twelve hours. Will that give you enough time to process this last murder?”
“Yes. Thank you, John. You’ve been very helpful,” Elle smiled 'come hither' at him.
Morgan gave her a look.
“What? He’s a good-looking man. He’s single, I’m single.”
Hotch hovered over the body, “You’re working.”
Twelve hours later they stood before the impressive Stargate. John was waiting; he introduced his team the exotic Teyla, the talkative, egotistical Dr. McKay, and the very dangerous looking Ronon.
They exited onto a grassy meadow. It was unnerving that John and Teyla led them, guns at the ready while McKay and Ronon fell in behind them.
“If they are peaceful, why the need for the guns?”
“Agent Morgan, things change, allies become enemies, the Wraith find the planet, and we have other enemies that may find the planet.”
“We also have our guns,” Elle offered.
“With all due respect, your weapons may have little effect on most aliens.”
They had no problem reaching the thriving village where they were made welcome. John and his team searched the village then settled in the center square of the town to wait as they watched the profilers move from person to person asking questions.
Ronon growled, “What are they doing, anyway.”
“Lookin’ for a killer.”
“Lorne’s people should have already solved this. What we don’t need is more outsiders telling us how to do things.”
“Ronon,” Teyla sighed, “Lorne did everything he could, and sometimes it takes an outsider to see what we overlook.’
“I still don’t like it.”
“I don’t see why we needed to come with them. I have a new program I need to finish; Lorne’s team should have brought them.”
“Rodney, I wanted to escort them. I don’t trust anyone more than us to keep them safe. I hate to have to face General O’Neil if we lose one of them.”
“Learn anything,” John asked Hotch.
“Yes. I think we do. They had several murders of young women and girls before the Wraith came. There haven’t been any since the relocation. So somewhere on Atlantis you have a killer who stayed from these people.”
“Geoffeaty,” John and Rodney said together.
“He’s one of the kitchen staffers. Let’s go before he strikes again.”
One of the village elders walked beside Teyla toward the Stargate speaking softly to her. He stopped at the edge of the forest. As the group reached the midway point to the Stargate there was a scream.
“Rodney, go dial the gate, and send them through.” Ronon and Teyla were already running with John sprinting to catch up.
But instead of going with Rodney they ran after them guns drawn to help.
“Wait. You’re not supposed to go. . .” Rodney gave up and headed for the gate.
A wraith had the elder, his hand over his heart sucking his life force from his body. The three hit the Wraith with everything they had. He turned and came towards them. The Agents froze at the sight of the alien who was still walking towards them even though it was being riddled with bullets and stuns and what looked like a laser. Colonel Sheppard never backed away nor any of his team.
Finally a foot from them the creature dropped to his knees, another round of firepower hit it then it fell down onto its face. Sheppard approached it cautiously as if believing it could be alive and when he reached it the thing pushed upwards, but the Colonel was ready and put a full clip into its head.
They made their way to the elder and the Agents drew back in horror as the middle-aged elder was now a very old man.
“You should have done as I ordered, there may have been more.”
“He told me a dart came through the gate and crashed four nights ago. They thought he was dead, killed in the crash. No others have followed,”you could hear the sadness in Teyla's voice.
“Well he apparently survived. Let’s go. We’ll take you back to Atlantis then come back with a jumper and make sure there are no others.”
They got their serial killer, who confessed and they sent him back to his now barren home planet.
As the team prepared to return home Reid came to Hotch. “I’m not going back with you. I’ve already talked with Colonel Carter and she has agreed to find a place for me.”
“What about your mother?”
“What about those monsters?” Elle protested.
“I can get leave to go see my mom. This is what I have looked my entire life for. And I have met someone.”
There were tearful goodbyes as they walked back through the moving blue Stargate leaving Reid standing alone. A young major in uniform slipped an arm around him and he looked down into her face and smiled. They walked upstairs then out onto the balcony. He looked out over the city then down at her. He had made the right decision.
Garcia was beyond upset that Reid didn’t return with them and that no on would explain anything to her except he met someone and chose to stay. She hacked as deep as she could but hit invincible wall after wall.
The team fell back into its routine. None of them ever spoke of what happened. None of them admitting to the nightmares they all shared about what was out their searching for the human race.
Hotch and his team hesitated then followed Colonel Carter into the blue moving wall. The experience was a dizzy mix of colors and lack of sound then they stepped into another cavernous room.
Colonel John Sheppard waited impatiently; he hated being left in charge. He took Sam's bag and endured the introductions as they retired to an upper floor conference room. “This is Major Evan Lorne; he will assure you have everything you need. We have quarters for each of you.
"Sam, we have a problem. I need to go to P-3421. Rodney thinks he can fix their force field before the Wraith reach the planet.”
“Go,” she waved him away.
They reviewed all employee records. “There’s just nothing in any of their pasts to even remotely suggest such a brutal butchering of these women. There is no pattern to his choice except young women taken in their quarters, sexually molested and carved up. No one heard anything, no one saw anyone with blood and he should have been covered in it. No traces of semen.
Rossi shook his head, “I’m stumped. They have the cream of every field here and the top military people. Of course the pressure they are under could cause psychotic break.”
Hotch glanced at the murder board that had nothing but pictures of the victims and their quarters. The autopsy report just confirmed what you could see.
“Have you been up to one of the balconies in the spires? The city does sit in the middle of the ocean. It’s beautiful,” Reid smiled.
“Yes well, I found out more than I want to know. . . About the Wraith who feed on humans looking for Earth and there were the Replicators which looked at us like food and wanted to kill all humans to cut off the Wraith’s food supply. Then there are unfriendly planets they go to that want to take over or destroy Atlantis. I just want to find this guy and go back to Earth and try to forget we are not the only race of humans and nonhumans in the universe.”
A week later another murder occurred. Colonel Sheppard was with them as they examined the victim and the scene.
“Colonel,” Reid began.”
“It’s John.”
“John, I heard that when you go to other planets with Stargates, that you sometimes take in refugees from the Wraith cullings.”
“That’s right. Then we find another planet to relocate them.”
“Was there refugees brought to Atlantis shortly before the murders began?”
“Actually, there was. The Nerau’s were moved.”
“Is it possible to go and speak with them?”
“What are you thinking?” Hotch asked.
“This guy has perfected his method. He’s been somewhere practicing.”
“There are always a few refugees who can contribute to the running of Atlantis and choose to stay. Some have the Ancient gene. Why that colony?”
“Because if he had been killing, he wouldn’t be able to stop. We need to check the town.”
“I’ll make arrangements for my team to take you in twelve hours. Will that give you enough time to process this last murder?”
“Yes. Thank you, John. You’ve been very helpful,” Elle smiled 'come hither' at him.
Morgan gave her a look.
“What? He’s a good-looking man. He’s single, I’m single.”
Hotch hovered over the body, “You’re working.”
Twelve hours later they stood before the impressive Stargate. John was waiting; he introduced his team the exotic Teyla, the talkative, egotistical Dr. McKay, and the very dangerous looking Ronon.
They exited onto a grassy meadow. It was unnerving that John and Teyla led them, guns at the ready while McKay and Ronon fell in behind them.
“If they are peaceful, why the need for the guns?”
“Agent Morgan, things change, allies become enemies, the Wraith find the planet, and we have other enemies that may find the planet.”
“We also have our guns,” Elle offered.
“With all due respect, your weapons may have little effect on most aliens.”
They had no problem reaching the thriving village where they were made welcome. John and his team searched the village then settled in the center square of the town to wait as they watched the profilers move from person to person asking questions.
Ronon growled, “What are they doing, anyway.”
“Lookin’ for a killer.”
“Lorne’s people should have already solved this. What we don’t need is more outsiders telling us how to do things.”
“Ronon,” Teyla sighed, “Lorne did everything he could, and sometimes it takes an outsider to see what we overlook.’
“I still don’t like it.”
“I don’t see why we needed to come with them. I have a new program I need to finish; Lorne’s team should have brought them.”
“Rodney, I wanted to escort them. I don’t trust anyone more than us to keep them safe. I hate to have to face General O’Neil if we lose one of them.”
“Learn anything,” John asked Hotch.
“Yes. I think we do. They had several murders of young women and girls before the Wraith came. There haven’t been any since the relocation. So somewhere on Atlantis you have a killer who stayed from these people.”
“Geoffeaty,” John and Rodney said together.
“He’s one of the kitchen staffers. Let’s go before he strikes again.”
One of the village elders walked beside Teyla toward the Stargate speaking softly to her. He stopped at the edge of the forest. As the group reached the midway point to the Stargate there was a scream.
“Rodney, go dial the gate, and send them through.” Ronon and Teyla were already running with John sprinting to catch up.
But instead of going with Rodney they ran after them guns drawn to help.
“Wait. You’re not supposed to go. . .” Rodney gave up and headed for the gate.
A wraith had the elder, his hand over his heart sucking his life force from his body. The three hit the Wraith with everything they had. He turned and came towards them. The Agents froze at the sight of the alien who was still walking towards them even though it was being riddled with bullets and stuns and what looked like a laser. Colonel Sheppard never backed away nor any of his team.
Finally a foot from them the creature dropped to his knees, another round of firepower hit it then it fell down onto its face. Sheppard approached it cautiously as if believing it could be alive and when he reached it the thing pushed upwards, but the Colonel was ready and put a full clip into its head.
They made their way to the elder and the Agents drew back in horror as the middle-aged elder was now a very old man.
“You should have done as I ordered, there may have been more.”
“He told me a dart came through the gate and crashed four nights ago. They thought he was dead, killed in the crash. No others have followed,”you could hear the sadness in Teyla's voice.
“Well he apparently survived. Let’s go. We’ll take you back to Atlantis then come back with a jumper and make sure there are no others.”
They got their serial killer, who confessed and they sent him back to his now barren home planet.
As the team prepared to return home Reid came to Hotch. “I’m not going back with you. I’ve already talked with Colonel Carter and she has agreed to find a place for me.”
“What about your mother?”
“What about those monsters?” Elle protested.
“I can get leave to go see my mom. This is what I have looked my entire life for. And I have met someone.”
There were tearful goodbyes as they walked back through the moving blue Stargate leaving Reid standing alone. A young major in uniform slipped an arm around him and he looked down into her face and smiled. They walked upstairs then out onto the balcony. He looked out over the city then down at her. He had made the right decision.
Garcia was beyond upset that Reid didn’t return with them and that no on would explain anything to her except he met someone and chose to stay. She hacked as deep as she could but hit invincible wall after wall.
The team fell back into its routine. None of them ever spoke of what happened. None of them admitting to the nightmares they all shared about what was out their searching for the human race.